A Clear Message from AmCham
On Thursday, August 13, 2026, the governor of Chubut, Ignacio “Nacho” Torres, took part in an event organized by the American Chamber of Commerce in Argentina (AmCham) and delivered a firm stance on the ongoing negotiations between the PRO party and La Libertad Avanza (LLA) ahead of the 2027 elections. “Agreements must come from a clear purpose. A patchwork pact makes no sense if it's only to win an election,” he said.
Torres, a PRO member, insisted that any national understanding must be anchored in a concrete program, not just a sum of party labels. “We need to reach strong agreements and consensus so we don't have to reinvent Argentina every four years,” he added.
The Chubut Example
The Patagonian governor pointed to the coalition he built in his own province, which includes Peronists, Radicals, PRO members, and libertarians. “What unites us? A development agenda,” he explained. According to Torres, that experience shows it's possible to overcome party differences when there's a common goal: balancing accounts, harnessing natural resources, and creating private-sector jobs.
The 'Pre-Ideological' Debate
Torres acknowledged that fiscal balance is a starting point shared by much of the political system, but argued the discussion must go further. “What do we do with our resources? How do we add value? How do we generate employment?” he asked. For the governor, Argentina needs a long-term parliamentary agenda to avoid reopening the same basic debates every four years.
Conditions for a National Agreement
Regarding a possible PRO-LLA alliance, Torres was explicit: “I hope that if there is a national agreement between PRO and La Libertad Avanza, it happens within the framework of a development agenda.” He warned that “if we don't agree on a serious parliamentary agenda aimed at the Argentina of the future, a short-term pact is meaningless.”
The governor also addressed the ongoing tension between provinces and the national government over fuel tax revenues, which are earmarked for road maintenance. Torres is leading a claim that includes lawsuits before the Supreme Court. At the event, he stressed that the infrastructure needed to move production cannot be built “in an Excel spreadsheet.”
Chinese Capital and Geopolitics
Asked about the presence of Chinese capital in the energy chain, Torres distanced himself from the line of U.S. Ambassador Peter Lamelas: “In the province there are Polish, Asian, and also Chinese companies. It's not ideological; it's about thinking of our benefits.” For Torres, what matters is that Chubut receives investment, infrastructure, and markets, regardless of the flag of the capital.
A Challenging Electoral Landscape
Torres faces a complex scenario in Chubut after his party's poor showing in the midterm elections. Peronism could field deputy Juan Pablo Luque, who appears competitive. That's why the possibility of adding La Libertad Avanza to his coalition is not trivial. However, the governor raised the stakes by conditioning any agreement on a clear “why.”
He also opened the door to centrist candidates who could challenge Milei's voter base, such as Daniel Hadad and banker Jorge Brito, who was present at the event. “Democracy is healthy, competition is healthy. Saying that Juan or Pedro should be a presidential candidate undermines change—those are false premises, that's a lie,” he asserted.
Sources: La Política Online · La Capital · Diario El Norte · Cholila Online